Canada Supports WFP’s Fight Against Hunger And Malnutrition In Sudan

KHARTOUM – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed today a generous contribution from the Government of Canada towards WFP emergency operations in Sudan. The contribution of CAD 5 million (US$4.5 million) will be used to support WFP’s emergency food assistance in Sudan.

“We are grateful for the Government of Canada -- a key strategic partner for WFP in the fight against malnutrition and hunger in Sudan,” said WFP Sudan Country Director Adnan Khan. “This contribution comes at a perfect time to help our efforts to address hunger and malnutrition among conflict-affected people throughout Sudan.”

The new contribution will be used to support nutrition activities which are a key component of WFP’s emergency response in Sudan where more than 2 million children suffer from moderate acute malnutrition every year.

“WFP is an experienced partner of Canada and while Canada is physically very far from Sudan, Canadians do not forget the people who are suffering here,” said Canadian Ambassador Dominique Rossetti, Chargé d’affaires e.p. to Sudan. “It is part of our values and moral principles to provide humanitarian assistance.”

Canada has also contributed half a million Canadian dollars towards the United Nations Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS) in Sudan which is managed by WFP and provides safe and efficient passenger and small cargo services to the humanitarian community across Sudan.

Canada is one of WFP’s top donors in the fight against hunger. In 2013, the Government of Canada committed CAD 21.5 million (S$ 19.6 million) to WFP to support the roll-out of the agency’s new nutrition policy. Of this, CAD 2.2 million (US$ 2 million) was allocated to WFP Sudan to support its nutrition activities, aimed at preventing micronutrient deficiencies among children under the age of five. In the past five years, the Canadian government has provided over US$70 million to WFP Sudan in support of food insecure and conflict-affected populations.

Sudan remains one of WFP’s largest and most complex operations. In 2014, WFP plans to reach 4.1 million people across Sudan, of whom 3.2 million are in the conflict-affected region of Darfur and some 938,000 are in Central and Eastern Sudan, including some 80,000 newly displaced from South Sudan. Some 319,000 conflict-affected children and women will benefit from WFP’s nutrition programmes in the country in 2014.

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WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. On average, WFP reaches more than 90 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year.